Lawmakers move to ban powdered alcohol in Nebraska

A liquor control bill, amended to ban the sale of powdered alcohol, has won preliminary approval on a 32-to-3 vote.

Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward succeeded in amending the bill to ban powdered alcohol from being sold in the state.

“It would be easy to smuggle this into schools or school-sponsored events,” Kolterman told colleagues during legislative floor debate. “If the product is on the shelf, just imagine a Kool-Aid type of container with a bourbon or a gin or a vodka or a Pina Colada; whatever you want.”

“It is very problematic for child access, for overuse, multiple packets are used together, potential for an overdose, can be combined with other liquid spirts, easy to hide in prohibited events,” according to Brasch.

The amendment doesn’t sit well with LB 330 sponsor, Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill, who said during legislative floor debate the revision made to his bill is too broad.

“Just so the body knows, you just banned deodorant in the state of Nebraska with that amendment,” Larson stated, claiming that the language in the bill would cover much more than just powdered alcohol.

Powdered alcohol was among alcoholic products proposed for oversight by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, but lawmakers banned the product instead.